Page Set for UFC Debut Against Holland
The MMA world is reverberating at the thought of Michael Page making his UFC debut. Dana White appeared on an online show with a board in the background that seemed to detail fights for UFC 297. Two names on the board were M. Page and K. Holland, leading many to think Page is set for a UFC fight against Kevin Holland, a bout that would make MMAfighting latest headlines!
Straight into the Welterweight Rankings
Michael Page knows that he might not have that much time left to make an impact in the UFC at the age of 36. Therefore going straight into a fight with #12 ranked welterweight Kevin Holland makes a lot of sense. If he gets a victory, he can push up the rankings and potentially take on Leon Edwards (if he’s still champion) in a captivating all-British fight in a UFC London PPV. If he comes unstuck against Kevin Holland, it’s not the end of the road; he’ll still have some fights and time left on his UFC contract. While not his intention, he can say he’s fought at the top level of MMA, even if not successful at it, and been relevant on MMA news websites in the process.
How does the fight against Holland play out?
Both Michael Page and Kevin Holland have vast experience in kickboxing, so it wouldn’t be unusual to see the two lean on their techniques from that discipline if they do meet here at UFC 297. There are yet more similarities between the two fighters as both men prefer to fight toward a finish, as both have seen more than half of their victories come via knockout. Arguably, Holland is the more versatile fighter, having secured way more submission victories throughout his career.
It would be wise for the two combatants to throw caution to the wind to climb the welterweight rankings more efficiently. Page needs to impress on his UFC debut, while Holland doesn’t want to endure his second consecutive loss, having lost a split decision to Jack Della Maddalena back in September 2023. Page has never tapped out during his career, so it might be a tall ask for Holland to make him do so in this fight. If he did make Page tap out, it would most certainly make MMA breaking news!
What happens if he beats Holland?
If all goes to plan at UFC 297, Michael Page will have his arm raised at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada. He will then be at the axis of welterweight success. That would set out a very fruitful-looking roadmap for his 2024 in the UFC. The most viable option would be for him to fight a top 10 ranked welterweight in the promotion; Ian Machado Garry, Sean Brady, or even Jack Della Maddalena at a push would all prove his worth at this level.
Whether he wants to fight twice or three times in a single year would determine how quickly he can ascend the rankings. Yet if he goes 2-0 in his UFC career, he would then be able to command a fight with the likes of Gilbert Burns, Colby Covington, or even Kamaru Usman. Of course, there is a long way to go between then and now, but that route would lead him to championship contention.
Should he lose the fight, he could find that he is one of the many fighters who can dominate the competition in Bellator but struggle when they get to the UFC. In theory, he could crawl back to the new PFL-Bellator promotion if they’d have him back.
Are there other options available to Page?
While this fight might happen, it’s important to remember that nothing is confirmed as of yet, and Michael Page still isn’t an official UFC fighter. The board seen behind Dana White might have been a provisional or fantasy booking. There are red dots next to both Page’s and Kevin Holland’s names, which could signify that it’s unconfirmed or something else that White needs to work on before announcing the fight.
Page became a free agent a few months ago and has been weighing up his options. Since then, the PFL has acquired Bellator as a company. While the British fighter leaned toward fighting in the UFC, he has since said that the merger presented an interesting opportunity, suggesting that he’s not invested in joining the UFC.
If he were to reject the UFC in the eleventh hour, he would most certainly be a star attraction in the PFL’s welterweight division. This would bring him into the same competition as stars like Magomed Magomedkerimov, Carlos Leal, and Sadibou Sy, who would all make fascinating matchups for the British fighter.
Page isn’t a one-trick pony, however. If he fancies neither the UFC nor PFL, he’s got a wealth of skills that he could employ. He’s regularly mentioned as a skilled kickboxer but has only ever fought one professional fight in this discipline – could that vocation tempt him back?
He’s also fought in multiple boxing regulations. He’s undefeated in professional boxing, having won both his fights by way of knockout. This could be an interesting avenue for him to go down again. He also fought at BKFC27 when the premier bare-knuckle promotion visited London. Unfortunately, he succumbed to a sixth-round loss to former UFC fighter Mike Perry. Given that Perry is still very much active in the BKFC, would Page be interested in fighting him again?
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